Story, from Idrottens Affärer Sweden – Sports Business
“Perka” (Erica) wanted to buy Islanders
He made a bid for the New York Islanders, builds bandy in China and are working to get into the sport on the Olympic program. Yesterday, he ended up with his Chinese Bandy Players in Vastergotland without luggage.
Per-Erik ”Perka” Holmström (Erica in China) in the middle with Kosas Stig Andersell with some pieces of his Chinese team, from left Captain Daniel Zhang, Xu Wang (17 år and the youngest player ) and Wang Xuefeng who is Kinas first International bandy Referee and first National team Coach.
China’s World Cup squad in bandy landed – but without large pieces of equipment. Some parts had disappeared with the flight, other parts were just gone. On Monday evening the inauguration of the B World Championships take place in Trollhättan and China’s squad would be complete by travellers from a lot of different directions, China, Norway and around Europe. But Per-Erik “Perka” Holmstrom is never either speechless or decrepit. He is a master fixer. Tell me what he has not done over the years.
Managed the Financing with just friends
Now he controls thus China’s national team in bandy, yes, there is such a law. It is entirely thanks to this man. He has, through his own wallet, his own company, partners, and from all around good friends scraped together large sums to spend time and pave the way for a bandy team from Asia.
– I am only one, but want to see the opportunities and not obstacles, he laughs.
So was there with the equipment disappeared. Yes, Holmstrom took a few phone calls and a few hours later the luggage not only supplemented but also enriched. And in the evening, he could count on the players and leaders and see a complete squad.
Mission for Bandy
World Championships in bandy in Sandviken, January 30-February 5, most heard of. But the B-World Championship? Well, it trimmed, furbished and flushed to get the perfect ice in Trollhattan until Monday, when the B-World Cup starts. Mongolia, Japan, Hungary, the Czech Republic, China, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Holland and Somalia – that’s right, Somali bandy team as portrayed on film by Filip & Fredrik – will battle for a spot in the A-World Cup next year.
A total of six Swedish national coaches figure in the B World Championships. Sweden has an ambitious missionary work to spread bandy around the world. Anyone who has gone furthest is the General Manager Per-Erik “Perka” Holmstrom, who along with former great player Hans Elis Johansson, 127 internationals, the national coaches for China’s national team in bandy and also boss of China’s women’s national.
Kina very Important for the Big Picture
Holmstrom wants to get into bandy on the Olympic program 2022nd
– It would be perfect timing considering that Sweden probably apply for the Winter Olympics in 2026. Getting Started bandy in China is an important piece of the puzzle to get into the sport on the Olympic program, perhaps the most important due to both China’s economic resources and influence in the world of sport , explains Per-Erik Holmström.
Road to the job as coach and general manager has been spectacular for the 54-year-old Stockholm comforter.
Legend i the Financial Community
Per-Erik Holmström found very early on the ice in Fredhäll and the way to ice hockey and bandy was set.
He was promising in both and searched into bandy school in Sandviken, and was with in Play Off for the qualification to Division 1 (former DiV 2) in Ice Hockey with Högdalens AIS – before the first Football and then Cycling took over “full time” a few years.
After university studies the civilian career took momentum on FinansTidiningen, The Financial Daily, Kinnevik’s response to Dagens Industri. In the Financial Circles is Per-Erik Holmström a living legend. He created the Financial Hearings and with that an international model for communication between the world’s advisors, financial analysts and fund managers.
“Perka” introduced an integrated press conference built on the webcast and teleconference. One of the first to use the model 1996 Marcus Wallenberg. Investor and Financial Times were media partners. It has so far been more than 7500 meetings in that way.
Islanders to Stockholm
2002 Per-Erik Holmström together with a number of investors from the financial market made a bid for the NHL team New York Islanders. The idea was to move the team to Stockholm, and playing 42 games in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Helsinki. Harry Harkimo, owner of both Jokerit and the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, was one of those looked on the possibilities, but the relocation of the New York club, was not on the agenda. NHL said and put down both the bid and fled. But shame on those who give themselves up. Instead westward turned sports entrepreneur from Fredhäll ahead and looked to the east, along with their investors.
5 miljoner SEK in investment
They invested 5 million SEK in the Ice Hockey team Nordic Vikings in the Asian League. The team belonged in Beijing but was often traveling to Japan and Korea. It was brilliant to begin with.- We went fairly quickly from 300 to 7000 spectators in the stands and in front of 100 million television viewers. We also beat records for points and audience that still stands for a Chinese team in the Asian League, says Per-Erik Holmström. But tell the joy that lasts for ever. The money ran out and the team was so to speak, on the ice, but encountered and supported the Hockey Development in Beijing instead. A development that led to KHL team Kunlun Redstar.
Very few people in China direct the development
2014 created “Perka” together with Hans Elis Johanson and Jan Sjonemark what is China Bandy, based on the young hockey players Nordic Vikings helped to improve themselves for ten years in Beijing. It is a private initiative to build bandy in the world’s most populous country.
– Bandy in China is controlled by Mister Zhu, president of Harbin Sports University in Harbin City – 140 mil north of Beijing, 60 mil east of the Russian bandy metropolis Khabarovsk – Vice Chairman for both ice hockey and skiing in China – and now Vice President of the International Bandy Federation. Sport in China is governed by few people where Harbin Sports University dominate winter sports.
– Mister Zhu is the head of the university that links together the best talent and therefore has become perhaps the most important person in any talent for winter sports.
– Building bandy in China, from the ground up, and make it to the Olympic Sports in Beijing in 2022, is what drives me. Bandy belong truly to the sporting soul!
I good educational tour
Now it’s B-World Championship in Sweden and Trollhättan apply. “Perkas’ expectations are low – partly because the players who we brought up the past two years, have ice hockey as a base, participate in the Universiad in Alma Aty.- We have basically a whole new team. Most experienced 17-year-old Daniel Yunfan Zhang, who makes his third World Cup tournament and top scorer Johan Chang from Farsta who made 17 goals in the last two World Cup tournaments.- Our goal is to implement the World Cup tournament and see it as an excellent training opportunity for the B-World Cup next year to be held in China. It will increase interest further bandy in China.- This year we’ll probably be content to win a match against Somalia, but we get the order of the defence game and Johan manage to score some goals maybe we can surprise. Then Mongolia, Japan and the Czech Republic to work hard, says Per-Erik Holmström.
